Jan 25, 2021
Palm Beach Equine (Constancio ‘Costi’ Caset*, Robi Bilbao, Gringo Colombres, Scott Swerdlin) have emerged on the 18-goal scene at the International Polo Club Palm Beach (IPC) in recent years, capturing the 2020 Joe Barry Memorial. Setting their sights on the 2021 Ylvisaker Cup, Palm Beach Equine showcased a strong performance against Tamera in their opening game, capturing a 10-7 victory with six goals scored by Caset.
Palm Beach Equine is synonymous with Dr. Scott Swerdlin, who anchors the team in the number four position. Tasked on defense, Swerdlin is often off of the ball. His efforts free up his teammates to attack goal, producing a strong offense that has averaged 11.3 goals per game on the season.
Leading the way for Palm Beach Equine on the offensive end have been Caset and Colombres, who have averaged 4.5 and 5.0 goals per game, respectively. The duo has been effective from the penalty line, combining to shoot 17 for 24, taking advantage of any foul trouble from their opponents. Caset’s impact on Palm Beach Equine has come down to efficiency, proving to be a reliable player in the number one position. Paired with his accurate penalty shooting, Caset has shot 69% from the field, forcing opponents to defend him and opening space for Colombres to drive forward.
The 18-goal season over the past three years has seen the emergence of Colombres, who was also part of the Dutta Corp team that captured three consecutive titles, the 2018 Herbie Pennell Cup, and the 2019 Joe Barry Memorial and Ylvisaker Cup. Playing exceptionally in the number three position, Colombres plays end-to-end, seemingly always around the ball to help direct the play. Scoring 20 goals in four games, Colombres is often a player opposing teams keep their eye on. Stepping into the GAUNTLET OF POLO® for the first time this year, Colombres continues to improve each season and hopes to lead Palm Beach Equine to a Ylvisaker Cup title.
Newcomer to IPC, Bilbao has been a workhorse in the middle of the game for Palm Beach Equine, scoring when needed but focused on putting pressure on the opposing team. Despite taking just 11 shots through four games, Bilbao has converted seven and is another effective scorer alongside Caset and Colombres.
Watch Palm Beach Equine (1-1) challenge Beverly Polo (1-0) in their next game Saturday, January 30, at 3:00pm ET. All games of the Ylvisaker Cup will be livestreamed exclusively on Global Polo TV.
*Constancio ‘Costi’ Caset is a Graduating Team USPA Member. Team USPA is a USPA program designed to enhance and grow the sport of polo in the United States by identifying young, talented American players and providing mentored training and playing opportunities leading to a pool of higher rated amateur and pro players and the resultant giveback to the sport of polo.
Effective Date: Saturday, May 16, 2020
The suspension of USPA Tournaments and Events will be lifted for USPA Member Clubs in locales where hosting polo matches and tournaments is permitted under applicable state and local laws, executive orders and similar decrees. The USPA Member Clubs in these locales are encouraged to follow all such requirements of their state and local authorities with respect to polo operations. In addition, we also encourage all USPA Member Clubs to take the precautions recommended by the CDC. We are preparing a detailed list of best practices for USPA Member Clubs as they return to hosting USPA Tournaments and Events and plan to circulate these guidelines within the next week. We will continue to monitor the COVID-19 situation closely and will notify you if we determine a different course of action is necessary.
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